By Pacheco Couceiro
Crashes on Interstate 69E, Boca Chica Boulevard, and neighborhood streets across Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley often leave drivers unsure what the law requires in the first minutes. Texas answers much of that question in Transportation Code Chapter 550, which sets duties to stop, exchange information, help injured people, and report certain collisions. Chapter 601 adds the duty to show proof of insurance. This article summarizes those statutes as published on the Texas statutes site, plus information from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI). Sources were checked on November 10, 2026. This article does not evaluate any particular crash or claim, and it does not predict any outcome.
Where Chapter 550 applies
Section 550.001 says the chapter applies to a highway or other public place, a road owned and controlled by a water control and improvement district, and a private access way or parking area that a business provides for clients or patrons (other than private residential property), as well as a pay garage or parking lot.
Crashes involving injury or death (Section 550.021)
When a collision results or is reasonably likely to result in injury to or death of a person, Section 550.021(a) says the operator of each vehicle involved shall:
- Immediately stop at the scene or as close to it as possible
- Immediately return to the scene if the vehicle did not stop there
- Immediately determine whether a person is involved and, if so, whether that person requires aid
- Remain at the scene until complying with Section 550.023
Section 550.021(b) adds that the driver must stop without obstructing traffic more than necessary. Failing to stop or comply is a criminal offense; the statute grades it more seriously when the crash results in death or serious bodily injury.
Crashes involving only vehicle damage (Section 550.022)
When a collision results only in damage to a vehicle that is driven or attended by a person, Section 550.022(a) requires each operator to stop at or as close as possible to the scene without obstructing traffic more than necessary, return if not stopped there, and remain until complying with Section 550.023.
Section 550.022(b) addresses freeways in metropolitan areas. If a collision happens on a main lane, ramp, shoulder, median, or adjacent area of a freeway and each vehicle can be normally and safely driven, each operator shall move the vehicle as soon as possible to a designated collision investigation site if available, the frontage road, the nearest suitable cross street, or another suitable location to finish exchanging information. Under Section 550.022(d), a vehicle can be normally and safely driven only if it does not require towing and can operate under its own power in its usual manner without additional damage or hazard.
The duty to give information and render aid (Section 550.023)
Section 550.023 applies to a collision resulting in injury or death or damage to a vehicle that is driven or attended by a person. The operator shall:
- Give their name and address, the registration number of the vehicle they were driving, and the name of their motor vehicle liability insurer to any person injured or to the operator, occupant, or person attending a vehicle involved
- If requested and available, show their driver's license to those persons
- Provide any injured person reasonable assistance, including transporting or arranging transport to a physician or hospital if it is apparent treatment is necessary or if the injured person requests it
Unattended vehicles and property (Sections 550.024 and 550.025)
If you hit and damage an unattended vehicle, Section 550.024 says you must immediately stop and either locate the operator or owner and give the name and address of the driver and the owner of the striking vehicle, or leave a written note in a conspicuous place in or securely attached to the unattended vehicle with those names and addresses and a statement of the circumstances.
If a collision damages only a structure next to a highway or a fixture or landscaping legally on or next to a highway, such as a fence or sign, Section 550.025 requires reasonable steps to locate and notify the owner or person in charge, give your name, address, and vehicle registration number, and show your driver's license if requested and available.
Reporting the crash to police (Section 550.026)
Section 550.026(a) says the operator of a vehicle involved in a collision resulting in injury or death, or in damage to a vehicle to the extent it cannot be normally and safely driven, shall immediately give notice by the quickest means of communication to:
- The local police department, if the collision occurred in a city
- The local police department or the sheriff's office, if it occurred not more than 100 feet outside city limits
- Otherwise, the sheriff's office or the nearest office of the Texas Department of Public Safety
Under Section 550.062, an officer who investigates a crash in the regular course of duty must make a written report when it caused injury or death or property damage to any one person of an apparent $1,000 or more. TxDOT's crash reports and records page says officers submit those reports to TxDOT, which is the custodian of crash records for the state. For how to request a copy, see our article on getting a Texas crash report (CR-3).
TxDOT also explains that it no longer keeps the Driver's Crash Report (Form CR-2) and that drivers in a crash not investigated by police who were given a CR-2 or a similar local form should keep that information for their own records. Section 550.067 allows a city, by ordinance, to require drivers to file collision reports with a designated city department.
Showing proof of insurance (Chapter 601)
Under Transportation Code Chapter 601, Section 601.053(a), an operator must, on request, give a peace officer or a person involved in a collision evidence of financial responsibility. Acceptable evidence includes the liability policy or a copy, the standard proof of insurance card, or an image of that information on a phone or other wireless device provided by the insurer. Section 601.053(d) says showing the image on a phone does not give consent to access anything else on the device.
Section 601.072 sets the minimum liability coverage required to establish financial responsibility: $30,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person in one collision, $60,000 for two or more persons in one collision, and $25,000 for property damage in one collision. TDI's auto insurance page explains that Texas law requires people who drive in Texas to pay for the accidents they cause. Coverage for your own injuries, such as PIP and uninsured motorist coverage, is a separate topic covered in our article on PIP and UM/UIM coverage.
Practical steps at and after the scene in South Texas
1. Stop safely and check for injuries
Stop at or near the scene without blocking traffic more than necessary, check whether anyone is hurt, and call 911 when someone needs medical help.
2. Move off the freeway if the statute requires it
On a metropolitan freeway, if every vehicle can be driven normally and safely, move to the frontage road, a cross street, or another safe location to exchange information.
3. Exchange the information Section 550.023 lists
Write down names, addresses, vehicle registration numbers, insurers, and driver's license details, and get contact information for witnesses.
4. Notify police when Section 550.026 applies
Call the police department or sheriff's office when there is injury, death, or a vehicle that cannot be driven normally and safely, and ask how to obtain the report number.
5. Document and preserve
Take photos of vehicles, the roadway, and injuries, and keep towing receipts, medical records, and any CR-2 or local report.
6. Watch the deadlines
Personal injury claims have filing deadlines. See our article on the Texas personal injury statute of limitations.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to call police after every fender bender?
Section 550.026 requires immediate notice when the collision results in injury or death or leaves a vehicle unable to be normally and safely driven. Section 550.067 also lets cities require reports by ordinance.
Can I show my insurance card on my phone?
Yes. Section 601.053(a)(2-a) allows an image on a wireless communication device that includes the required information, as provided by the insurer.
Related articles
- How to get a copy of your Texas crash report
- PIP and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in Texas
- Texas personal injury statute of limitations
Questions in Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley
Pacheco Couceiro assists injured people and families in Brownsville and South Texas with personal injury matters. If you were hurt in a crash and want to understand how the Transportation Code duties described here fit with the reports and insurance information you have, you can contact the office to review those records.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Reading it or contacting the office does not create an attorney-client relationship.